Spring 2026: Week 5

 Derby Week

It's become a week-long festival in Louisville and while I was still in South Florida, I joined in on the extended five days of racing action from Churchill Downs.  The best and most profitable decision I made for the entire week came before the racing action even started.  Several years ago I used to play the races on Xpressbet during the winter because racing is at Gulfstream Park and I could build my rewards points there when I was both at the track and when I was playing from the "Sunrise Simulcast Center."  But once the Championship Meet concluded I would play on TwinSpires.  LONG ago that was because I when I went to the races it was at Calder Race Course, owned by Churchill Downs.  But when Calder closed I stopped using my Twin Spires account.  Then about five years ago I got an email from TwinSpires inviting me to return.  I communicated with a guy and explained it didn't make sense to split my rewards points on two platforms.  He offered an enhanced rewards system for me so I started using them again in the nine months that racing wasn't at Gulfstream in the winter.  Then about two years ago I noted my rewards were no longer kicking in.  I inquired and was informed that special offer had expired.  So every since I play strictly on Xpressbet.  I keep the TwinSpires account because I like how they do their video feeds, and on rare occasions I do bet through that platform for "fun bets."  I got an email that ALL WEEK long if you played on TwinSpires they were offering a "Bet Back" promotion if you ran second or third.  Because I knew I would only be playing Churchill Downs I opted to play all week through them.  By the end of the week I'd played nearly forty races and while I did win a dozen of them, I finished 2nd or 3rd in fourteen other races.  Had I played through Xpressbet I would have finished the week with a small loss of just over $20.  But the "Bet Back" promotion put an additional $105 in my account, so at the end of tive days I was up over $80!  Wise decision young man!

Racing started early on what Churchill Downs labels as "502'sDay."  The card had nine with races with a first post of 12:45pm.  As I had handicapped the card I was making a conscious effort to look for "good bets" not just bets on horses that MIGHT have a chance.  So I wasn't all that surprised that the first five races drew a "PASS" from me.  The sixth race - two hours after the first one opened the card - was a non-winners of two lifetime turf route.  Gene and Jude had enough going for him at this $30K level to warrant the small investment.  Claimed a year ago by Mike Maker he'd consistently shown early lick vs. better and his last win came when jockey Flavian Prat was on board, as he was today.  Tracked the 40/1 front runner to the turn, blew by and drew off easily!

Bacio

WinsDay

Empire Builder

Ruiva

Waggley

Parchment Party

Thurby

Honfleur

Cy Fair

Kentucky Oaks Day - Friday

Imaginationlady

Kentucky Derby Day - Saturday

To the track for lunch

Powershift

Tour Player

Crude Velocity

Rhetorical

Derby Week Racing Highlights

Next week is Opening Weekend at Monmouth.  I play all their live racing days, but it's not nearly as active as the winter or even the Keeneland Spring meet because they race only on Saturday and Sunday until mid-summer and then expand to Friday-thru-Sunday.

Spring 2026: Week 4

 April 22-26

The much anticipated Keeneland Spring Meet came to a close on Friday and Churchill Downs opened on Saturday afternoon.  I played Gulfstream on Saturday as well as they had one of the very few cards between Florida Derby Day and December with some quality racing.  There were six FHBPA stakes events featuring some quality thoroughbreds on tap.

Wednesday and Thursday I found eight races I liked.  Won the Wednesday opener with Get Her Number in a seven furlong allowance.  Then ran second in four of the next seven with two thirds.  Booo.

Get Her Number WIRES the Wednesday Opener at Keeneland

Friday was closing day at Keeneland.  I had four races I liked.  In the second Shining Moment went off as the prohibitive 2/5 favorite.....second, again.  WOW.  I then rattled off three in a row to close the Spring meet on a high note!

Speed Skater DRAWS OFF by more than a pole in a two-turn maiden claimer

Speed Shopper RUNS OFF In The Grade 3 Bewitch as easily best

Pretty Picture edges clear late to WIN the finale as the Friday BEST BET

It was a good spring at Keeneland as I played every live race card

My original plan was to go to Gulfstream on Saturday as it was one of the few days between Florida Derby Day and Opening Day around Thanksgiving that there was quality racing.  But there was very little to choose from on the national scene; even the opening day card at Churchill was weak.  When rains came to our area Friday I was sure there would be scratches and off-the-turf races so I opted to play at home with several big time gaps between races.  Turns out all my runners stayed in....races stayed on the turf.....AND I had a very good day locally.  Should have gone, oh well.

Pure Joy Wins the mile and a quarter opener at Churchill

When my top choice scratched, Nic's Style was an EASY winner in the first GP stakes

Tank SPRINGS THE UPSET going wire-to-wire in the Turf 

The BET of the DAY Mythical romps in the Soph Filly Sprint

Damon's Mound Outclasses his rivals in the Sprint

Super Zenda wraps a FIVE WIN STAKES day at GP in the F&M Turf

Sunday I only won two of six but one paid $10 and change!  Next week, DERBY WEEK!

Spring 2026: Week 3

 April 15 - 19

The week was a "good" one, but the Saturday....it was VERY good, and that's said even though I missed with my Bet of the Day.  The week did NOT start well with an 0-for day on Wednesday.  I went with the Wesley Ward firster in the opening but he just didn't feel like the others....still, on paper he seemed best.  But my gut feeling was right and he ran fourth.  That set the tone for the day.  I had a much better day on Thursday where I won with three of the seven selections.  In the opener, a cheap $16K claimer it was all about how you felt weighing betting the most likely winner or for value.  I've always played to pick the winner.  On paper Emirates Affair looked deserving as a favorite, but 3/5 on the morning line?  That seemed low.  Still she seemed heads and shoulders above the others and ran to it.  Was in hand through the lane and drew off easy as she pleased.  Was happy there were apparently a lot of "value" players who said "I'm not taking that short price" because she floated above even money...silly bettors :)

After missing on the next two I made what would probably be considered a "bad bet" on Just A Touch in the fifth - a second level allowance on the turf.  'Touch had run lights out and looked like a top runner after back-to-back triple digit wins to start his 4yo campaign following a close second in the 2024 Grade 1 Bluegrass.  But then he went down in flames at 1/9, 4/5 and 3/5.  ALL on the dirt.  Today he was trying turf.  I just felt that he really had talent, but we'd see today if he could handle the turf.  When he was at the back into the far turn I was resigned to the fact I'd made a poor decision.  But he kicked in, swung five wide into the lane and accelerated past in the final 16th to score.  After second at 2/1 in the next I got my final victory of the day when Chapman's Peak split rivals at the top of the lane and edged clear late at even money.

Friday was another below par day.  My lone winner from six picks was with a Larry Rivelli ship-in from Chicago.  Murdock was lightly raced but had run huge figures.  While again the "value" thing came into play it has been my experience that when Rivelli ships he's very serious.  Murdock pressed the leader to the turn then drew off under a hand ride at 4/5.

Saturday was a very good day.  And it would have been a superb day had the "BET of the Day," Sovereignty in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap won instead of running second.  But as it was I scored with 10-of-22 and had a clear profit.

Especially & Mazzula take Laurel's 4th and 5th

Mizner give me a 3rd winner in Baltimore

Instamania wins at Oaklawn, turns out to be the lone winner there on the day

Kentucky Belle - OH SO CLOSE in Keeneland's 6th

Sunday I had two winners and while I lost just a little I felt good about the day as I DID score with the BEST of the Day today :)

Carlo Rapido pulls a mild upset in the Sunday opener at Keeneland

Final Story WINS as the Sunday Best

North Carolina.....

Ever since New Year's my best gal-pal Kimmy and I have been pursuing a reunion with her.  She immediately suggested my coming to visit and if I were being honest, I was probably over anxious about that actually happening considering how very VERY hectic her life is.  It's hard these days for me to relate to someone in the working world being on a schedule, must less someone like her having two small children AND traveling for her job.  After exchanging messages for three months, the last two messages I sent went unanswered, which to be fair is not uncommon in her world compared to mine.  I had decided to give her space and this next week I would reach out again.  As I sat watching the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs on Sunday evening my phone flashed, "KIMMY" and she reached out to me.  Maybe I am just misreading every thing, but I honestly believe she would like to have me visit.  But I believe my understanding of just how complicated her life is is not realistic.  She's WAY more wrapped up in so many things, not the least of which is being a full time Mom.  So with that said, that Kimmy initiated this conversation/exchange - highly unusual - I took as a positive sign that this is still something she'd like to see happen.  And then her reaction "we will make this happen" confirms this to me.  I  have reigned back my expectations and I'm much more comfortable with letting what happens, happen.